


The perfect plan

by Aeris444



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Family, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:54:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21823258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeris444/pseuds/Aeris444
Summary: In Arthur’s mind, his plan made perfect sense.He had to come out to his father; he couldn’t keep lying to him.But if he just went and told him, “Dad, I’m gay,” he was pretty sure Uther would dismiss it as a whim and wouldn’t take him seriously.Inviting his boyfriend to the dinner Uther was organising for Arthur’s birthday should be proof enough for his father – the only problem being that Arthur hadn’t any boyfriend at the moment.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 199
Collections: Merlin Holidays 2019





	The perfect plan

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Moonflower999](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonflower999/gifts).



> Thanks to schweet_heart for the perfect beta reading! Thanks to the mods for organising this fest once again!
> 
> Moon, I hope you will like your gift. There were so many things I liked about your request but I had to choose... I would have like to expend this story even more but real life got in the way. Still, I hope you'll enjoy this story! I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

In Arthur’s mind, his plan made perfect sense.

He had to come out to his father; he couldn’t keep lying to him.

But if he just went and told him, “Dad, I’m gay,” he was pretty sure Uther would dismiss it as a whim and wouldn’t take him seriously.

Inviting his boyfriend to the dinner Uther was organising for Arthur’s birthday should be proof enough for his father – the only problem being that Arthur hadn’t any boyfriend at the moment.

Hence why he was walking to Merlin’s apartment.

Who else could he ask for such a service? Leon, who had been dating Morgana for a few years, was definitely too straight; Lance was too faithful to Gwen; Percy was too tall, not Arthur’s style at all; Gwaine was… too Gwaine.

Merlin was perfect.

They had met through common friends just after uni and had been inseparable ever since. Merlin knew everything about Arthur, and he was cute in his own way. Arthur couldn’t think of anyone better to play his fake boyfriend! And as his best friend, he was sure Merlin was going to accept!

***

“Arthur, I know we are friends but have you gone completely bonkers? How does this make sense for you? You want to stop lying to your father and to do that you decide to lie to him?”

“It’s not really a lie. Just an arrangement with the truth. And you know my father! He’s not going to believe me!”

“Arthur, this is the worst idea you’ve ever had! And you were the one who suggested we went camping in Wales in winter with Gwaine and Leon... Gwaine? Is it Gwaine that suggested this to you?”

“No… Why?”

“Because Gwaine is an idiot, we all know that and only an idiot would think pretending that we are boyfriends could be a good idea.”

“But Merlin, I can’t ask anyone else!”

“Then don’t ask anyone, and just go talk to your father!”

“Merlin, please. I can’t do that. He’ll think it’s just a whim, that I’ll change my mind. Like he did when I choose marketing over law at Uni… Or when I set up Greendragon. He never believes that I have convictions, that I’m sure of my choices. I don’t want to battle for my sexualitiy, too.”

Arthur saw that, with his last argument, he had finally reached Merlin’s heart. Merlin had been his first support when Arthur had decided that he didn’t want to work in his father’s enterprise but instead to found his own. Greendragon was a communication agency set to help biological farms, ecological shops, etc to set up their communications, bringing ecological principles to that field of their activity too. Arthur had had to battle with his father for months before Uther had finally agreed to help his son finance his project.

“Merlin...please.”

“I.. I still don’t see how you plan for this to work… Uther would never believe that we are boyfriends!”

“Of course he will! He knows you’re gay, he knows we know each other. We’ll just say you were there for me after my break-up with my last boyfriend and that we realised we were in love or something like that…”

“And? What do you plan to tell him after?”

“After what?”

“Arthur… You’re not thinking we will pretend forever are you?”

“No, of course not! I thought we could wait for a month or two, and then I’ll tell him we realised that we were better as friends… and I’ll find someone else after that.”

“This is ridiculous.” Merlin sighed.

“But you’ll help me, won’t you?”

“Let me think about it a little more, okay?”

Arthur nodded.

***

Arthur and Merlin had driven for nearly seven hours to reach the Pendragon Estate in the middle of Scotland. Uther had invited Arthur to spend the weekend to celebrate his son’s birthday and for Arthur, it was the perfect timing to finally come out to his father. Merlin wasn’t so sure of that, but after complaining for the first two hours of the trip he had fallen asleep, only waking because he was hungry two hours later.

Still, as Arthur parked the car in front of the imposing mansion, Merlin had started telling him again how bad an idea all of this was.

“Merlin… Please. We are here. You are not going to leave me now, are you?”

“Of course I won’t! But that doesn’t mean I think this is a good idea.” Merlin said as he helped Arthur get their bags from the trunk.

Arthur didn’t insist. Merlin was there and he would play the part. That was all that mattered.

They went to the entrance of the mansion and Arthur rang the bell.

Uther opened the door just a few seconds later.

“Arthur! Oh...You’ve brought a guest?” he said, spotting Merlin.

“Yes, Father. This is Merlin… My boyfriend.”

“Great! What do we say? The more the merrier? Lucia always makes too much for dinner, so an unexpected guest will be no problem.”

And with that, Uther went inside the house, leaving a dumbfounded Arthur on the doorstep.

“Aren’t you coming? Lucia has your rooms ready. I’m sure you and Merlin will find them to your taste.”

Arthur looked back at Merlin, who just shrugged. Neither of them had anticipated that.

***

“I really didn’t expect that,” Arthur said as he and Merlin entered Arthur’s teenage bedroom.

“I told you your father would be more accepting than you thought.”

Arthur put their bags on the floor and let himself fall on the large bed.

“It’s more than being accepting. He… He didn’t even seem surprised!”

“I fail to see how that’s a problem.”

Merlin joined Arthur on the bed, sitting cross-legged next to his friend.

“I… It feels weird. He wasn’t supposed to react like that.”

“People don’t always do what you expect them to, you know…”

“I’m not a kid, Merlin.”

“Then stop acting like one!”

“I thought you liked my childish side?” Arthur said, before starting to tickle Merlin which ended their argument.

***

They were sitting at the great table in the dining room. Lucia had outdone herself once again, and as they finished the first dish, they were all smiling with contentment.

“So Merlin, tell me more about you! As Arthur didn’t deign to tell me about you, I must admit I’m a little bit curious about the man who can put up with my son.”

Arthur groaned, but nobody paid him attention as Merlin answered Uther’s question without even looking at him.

“Hum… I’m a photographer. I studied art history at Uni. That’s where we met. One of Arthur’s friends was in my class... “

Uther nodded in interest as Merlin continued.

“At the moment, I work as a culinary photographer, but what I really like is macro-photography and I hope to be able to publish a book or hold an exhibition with my works soon…”

Arthur cringed. Surely Uther wouldn’t deem photography a real job and would make fun of Merlin.

“Macro photography?” he simply asked, to Arthur’s surprise.

Merlin then went on to explain exactly what it was to an amazingly interested Uther.

By the time they all went to sleep, later on, Uther seemed to have become Merlin’s number one fan.

“Merlin? Did you put a spell on my father?” Arthur asked as he closed the door of the bedroom behind them.

“Stop being silly! I’m just that likable, that’s all!” Merlin said with a toothy smile.

And for just a fleeting second Arthur wondered if he wasn’t under that spell, too because he had a sudden urge to kiss that smile.

“I’m going to take a shower,” Arthur said needing to get away from Merlin to put his thoughts in order.

“Go on, then. I’ll check my Facebook account… I posted some pictures of the domain earlier and I want to see how many likes I got!”

“You’re getting addicted, Merlin.”

“And proud of it!” Merlin responded, falling on the bed. The large and only bed in the room.

Arthur suddenly panicked. How had he not thought about that before? They were going to have to sleep in the same bed...

***

Arthur barely slept. His shower hadn’t managed to calm him and sensing Merlin’s body just next to his had kept him awake for most of the night.

He and Merlin had been friends for years, but Arthur had never thought about him like that – like someone he would like to kiss, to hold in his arms for more than a simple hug. Had this lie, this game they had been playing gotten to him? Or had it just awoken something that had been lying deep inside himself for a longer time?

Whatever it was, Arthur had to try and forget about it. Merlin was his best friend, and he wasn’t going to risk their friendship for a stupid crush that had appeared out of nowhere.

***

As they were driving back to London, Merlin was strangely silent in the car. Arthur didn’t know what to say… Once again, during breakfast, Uther had talked to Merlin like he was already part of the family. Arthur had felt so bad. Because he was lying to his father, because he was using his best friend, because he couldn't control his own feelings and wished that Merlin was, indeed, part of the family.

This had been such a bad idea. Merlin had been right. This plan was the stupidest idea he had ever had!

***

Six months later

“Merlin?”

“In the kitchen!”

Arthur joined Merlin, who was busy cooking dinner.

“I’ve just received an email from my father.”

“I hope he’s well,” Merlin said, not stopping mixing the pasta sauce.

“He is...but… He’s also inviting us for Christmas. Both of us.”

“Both of us?” This time, Merlin stopped stirring the sauce. “Didn’t you tell him we had split up?”

“Hum… I… I may have forgotten about telling him… and then we were really together so it had become useless to tell him.”

Merlin sighed.

“I suppose it doesn’t matter anymore, anyway…”

“You’re not mad?”

“No… We can’t change the past, and I must say I’m quite happy with the outcome of all this…” Merlin said, coming near Arthur who immediately hugged him.

“Quite happy?”

“Completely blessed?”

“That’s more like it!”

They both laughed, and when Merlin kissed Arthur he could still feel the smile on his lips.


End file.
